Fire-hose bridge for railroad-tracks



(No Model.)

- G. F GANNIPF, Jr 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

FIRE HOSE BRIDGE FOR RAILROAD TRACKS. No. 324,224. PatentedAug. 11,1885.

W/f/VESSES HVVENTOR N. PETE S. Phowulho n hu. Wnhln mn, D. c,

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. P. OANNIFF, Jr. FIRE HOSE BRIDGE FOR RAILROAD TRACKS.

No. 324,224. Patented Augpll, 1885.

N. PETERS, Hula-Lithographer, Washington. DC.

UNITED STATES GEORGE F. OANNIFF, JR.,

or CLEVELAND, oHIo.

FlRE-HOS E BRIDGE FOR RAILROAD-TRACKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 324,224, dated August11, 1885.

Application tiled November 1, 1884. No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. CANNIFF, Jr., of Cleveland, in the countyof Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Fire-Hose Bridges for Railroad-Tracks; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact de scription of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itpertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in fire-hose bridges for crossingrailroads, the object being to provide aportable bridge adapted to spana railroad-track and support a firehose thereon out of the way ofpassing trains.

A further object is to provide atilting bridge and suitable mechanismfor raising or lowering the same, to the end that the hose may beattached when the bridge is in a depressed position, and afterward, bytilting the bridge to an upright position, the hose may be elevated asrequired.

With these objects in view my invention consists in certain features ofconstruction, and in combination of parts, hereinafter described, andpointed out in the claims.

In cases of fire it is of the greatest importance that the hose be laidvand the water got to the fire as soon as possible, and where it isnecessary to cross the line of a oar-track with the hose it would causeso much delay to unwind the hose from the hose-cart, and then draw itthrough a hole between the ties under the track, even if such an openingwere at hand, that the hose is usually laid across on top of the track.This is liable to cause a serious damage by delaying trains, and I havetherefore devised a portable bridge to support the hose above the trackand out of the way of passing trains. The hose is laid and water broughtto the fire in the usual manner, and as soon as possible. Afterward thehose-bridge may be placed in position and the hose attached,wh en, bytilting the bridge, the hose is elevated as required, and this, too,without checking the flow of water through the hose.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of myimproved hosebridge in an upright position, spanning arailroad-track,and supporting a fire-hose. Figs.

2 and 3 are views in perspective illustrating details of constructionhereinafter mentioned. Fig. at is a viewin perspective of the hose andhose-bridge before the bridge is tilted to an upright position.

A and A are posts that are hinged, respectively, at a to the sills B,and support the crossbeam 0. Toothed sectors 12 are bolted to the sills,and engage the pinions D, that are mounted on the crankshaft (I. Theseshafts are journaled in suitable boxes, a, that are attached to the saidposts.

Hook-braces b may be provided to hold the frame in an upright position,or this may be accomplished by locking the pinions D, as may beconveniently done by placing aclog of some kind between the teeth of apinion and sector. The beam 0 may be hinged to one of the posts, asshown at c, and may have a band, 0, at the other end to embrace the endof the other post. F are braces with hooks f secured to one end forattaching the braces to the bridge.

The post to which the beam Cis hinged may have attached the plate E,provided with the slot 6, into which the end of the hook may onter, as ameans of attaching the braces to the bridge, and the opposite post maybe cut away on the outer upper corner, as shown in Fig. 2, so that theend of the hook f may pass down inside of the band 0, and thus securethe braces to the bridge. The lower ends of the braces rest on theground, and usually brace the bridge all that is required without beingfastened,although the ends of the braces might be sunk into the ground,or stakes driven at the end of the braces when necessary.

Plates G, or any projecting part suitable to hold the hose H inposition, may be attached on either side of the bracesF and the beam 0,and almost anything will answer for this purpose.

In operating the device the parts are assembled in the position shown inFig. 4, and the hose is drawn so that a sufficient amount of slack ishad at'the crossing, and is placed in position between the parts G. Thebridge, by operating the cranks, is then tilted to an upright position,of course carrying the'hose up with it, and without interrupting thepassage of water in the hose.

A cheaper and more primitivebridge might be had by dispensing with thegearing, in which case the bridge could be raised by hand and fastenedby guy-ropes, if preferred.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the preciseconstruction shown, as

this may be varied in many ways without departing from the spirit andscope of my in vention.

Vhat I claim is- 1. A portable bridgefor fire-hose,consisting,essentially,of a central frame for spanning the track and endpieces adapted to be removably secured to the opposite ends of the upperportion of said central frame.

2. A portable bridge for fire-hose, consisting, essentially, of acentral frame for spanning railroad-track, said frame composed ofdetachable sections, and end pieces adapted to be removably secured tothe opposite ends of the upper portion of said central frame,substantially as set forth.

3. A portable fire-hose bridge consisting, essentially, of a frame withthe parts more or less detachable and hinged to suitable bedpieces orsills, and means for securing a firehose to the frame, and suitablemechanism for tilting the same, substantially as set forth.

4. In a bridge forsupporting fire-hose over a car-track, a tilting framehinged to suitable bed-pieces, and the latter provided with toothedsectors, and the frame with crankshafts, and pinions mounted thereonarranged to engage the said sectors, substantially as set fort-h.

In testimony whereof I sign this specifieation, in the presence of twowitnesses, this 20th day of October, 1884.

GEORGE F. CANNIFF, JR.

Witnesses:

JNo. CaownLL, Gnas. 11. Donna.

